Stormwater Management Program

The Stormwater Planning program informs and assists in the development of policies and strategies as water quality management tools to protect receiving waters.

Long-range Plans

The city considers stormwater management needs and protection/improvement of receiving water health when updating planning and policy documents such as:

• Comprehensive Plan including the Climate Element
• Climate Action Plan

Low Impact Development (LID)

The city encourages the use of LID principles and best management practices for private development and city capital improvement projects. The LID approach is designed to minimize impervious surfaces, native vegetation loss, and stormwateer runoff in all types of development situations.

Tree Canopy

The city has adopted goals and policies related to tree canopy in the Urban Forestry Management Plan. Maintaining and increasing tree canopy is a vital tool for managing stormwater.

Stormwater Management Action Plan (SMAP)

The city developed and adopted a SMAP that identifies North Creek (or Donkey Creek) as the priority stormwater basin and plans long-term and short-term actions designed to protect and improve water quality in the watershed.

The Stormwater Education & Outreach program is designed to build the awareness of stormwater issues and the ways the community can help. The city has engaged on several such campaigns:

• Pet Waste
• Natural Yard Care
• Dumpsters (coming soon!)

See the Stormwater Pollution Prevention page for more information.

The city encourages the public to participate in the development and improvement of the Stormwater Management Program and other stormwater plans and policies. 

Make your voice heard!

Come to city council meetings, committee meetings, or attend virtually.

You can contact the Stormwater Program at stormwater@gigharborwa.gov or at (253) 853-2646.

Watch the most recent staff report to city council on the Stormwater Management Program.

The city maintains a map of the stormwater system and continually works to improve it.

The Harbor's Atlas is the city's publicly available and interactive mapping application. Check out the storm drains and pipes in your neighborhood!

The IDDE program is a set of policies, procedures, and supplies that help the city to prohibit, prevent, detect, characterize, trace, and eliminate illicit connections and illicit discharges into the public stormwater system.

❗ Remember, only rain down the drain!

See the Stormwater Pollution Prevention page for more information.

If you see a spill...

City of Gig Harbor Spill Hotline: (253) 851-6170

Department of Ecology 24-Hour Spill Hotline: (360) 407-6300

Or call 911 if it's an emergency

Stormwater runoff from development projects often carries sediment from the site's bare soils and pollution from the site's equipment and machinery. The city has development standards, permitting processes, site inspections, and enforcement capabilities designed to prevent that contaminated runoff from entering the public stormwater system.

❗ If you see dirty water leaving a construction site, call the Spill Hotline at (253) 81-6170.

Links for Development Projects:

• Permits
• Stormwater Resources for Contractors and Consultants
• The City of Gig Harbor's Stormwater Manual
• Stormwater Code (GHMC Title 14)
• Enforcement for violating Title 14 (GHMC 12.17)

The city looks for opportunities to implement tailored SWMP actions or stormwater facility retrofits in areas developed before modern stormwater management standards. Considered actions and retrofits include:

• Regional stormwater facilities that treat pollutants or reduce runoff volumes
• LID facilities
• Land acquisition for conservation
• Enhanced facility maintenance

The city performs inspections on businesses within city limits that have the potential to pollute stormwater to ensure these sites are taking the necesary steps to keep stormwater clean. These inspections mainly focus on educating businesses on best management practices (BMPs) but implementing appropriate BMPs is required by GHMC 14.20.155.

During these site visits, we will want to meet with an owner/manager to tour the facility, learn about your business activities, and determine if any actions are needed to prevent stormwater pollution. Some actions can be taken immediately with relatively little effort, such as covering open waste containers. We understand that other problems may take additional time to resolve. After the site visit, city staff will follow up to verify that any identified problems have been resolved, answer questions, and provide technical assistance if needed.

The Stormwater Resources for Business and Property Owners page has more information on these inspections and the BMPs expected for different types of businesses.

The city operates and maintains the stormwater system so that it runs as smoothly as possible to protect people, property, and the environment from flooding and pollution.

Private Stormwater System

The city inspects and keeps maintainance records of private stormwater systems. If you are an owner of a property with a private stormwater system, you are responsible to annually inspect the system, perform any necessary maintenance, and send the city documentation. See the Stormwater Resources for Business and Property Owners page for more information.

Public Stormwater System

The city inspects and performs maintenance on the public stormwater system. This includes annual inspections and maintenance of ponds, vaults, filters, permeable pavement, bioretention swales, and more. Catch basins are inspected at least every two years and cleaned if necessary.

Operation Practices

Public Works has developed practices and policies designed to reduce stormwater impacts associated with activities including mowing, road repair, trash management, etc.

Street Sweeping Program

The city sweeps public roads to reduce road debris that pollutes stormwater.